Children's Books to Read Aloud That Are Fun for All Ages

a book list by Miss Hannah, Teacher, Book Lover, Eclectic Reader, BookCrosser

Reading to children is important. It's one of the things that most influences academic success. It can also sometimes be a duty that parents and teachers don't enjoy as much as they could. These books are sure to be enjoyed by the adults reading them as well as the children listening... they're beautifully illustrated... and bound to generate great (and educational) discussions besides.

A boy has to cross a bridge to go to school, but under the bridge lurks an ugly troll who demands a penny every day. How long can the boy trick his way out of paying the toll? A little bit repetitive at first, this book presents great opportunities to stop and consider, and beautifully answers a question that sooner or later all kids ask - why do I have to go to school? For extra fun, practice a troll voice and a thinking frown.

This fast-paced story full of animals with funny names might get your tongue twisted a few times, but that will only make it more fun to read. Is there an earthquake coming? Will the earth open up and eat all the animals? Watch the tension build and laugh it off when it turns out that some moles just took a wrong turn on their way somewhere.

Making an apple pie is really very simple, this book claims. Just a few simple ingredients. Unless the market happens to be closed. In which case you have to travel to such places as France, Sri Lanka and Jamaica for what you need. It's fun, simple, and includes a map of the world and a recipe for apple pie. Which you should top with vanilla ice cream, which you can get at the market... uh-oh.

Life is no snickerdoodle at the bottom of the cookie jar. Only the real tough cookies make it, and not even all of them. Chips was taken by Fingers, the master criminal, and now it's up to our hero to save the day. Can he stop Fingers and save the others, though it's too late for Chips? A detective story made to delight any child, or anyone with a sweet tooth.

Right from the title kids will be wondering what kind of crazy story this is. What if it rained pancakes with butter and syrup for breakfast and at around dinner time it snowed mashed potatoes? What would happen to all the extra food? Would people still go to work? And what would storms be like? Be prepared to spend some time examining the illustrations and finding quite a few things to giggle over.

It is a rare book that manages to be a bit repetitive, use very few and very simple words, and still make adults and children alike laugh. George is a very sick puppy. He can't bark. When asked to bark, he can meow, oink, and even moo, but no barking, despite his mom's attempts to teach him how. What will the vet find?

If you can do a fair cowboy drawl, this is the book for you. Cowpoke Pete and the bull Widdermaker go on a ride, and create the desert landscapes such as the ones we know today as Monument Valley and the Painted Desert. Hilariously funny, fast-paced and guaranteed to be requested over and over again.

Doing something for the first time can be terrifying. Especially when you're required to bring all sorts of strange things. Your name on all your clothes? So they can identify the body, of course, after that bear catches up with you and you fail to fight it off with your pocketknife. A chuckle a page, this is a great book to introduce outdoors safety as well as openly discussing your fears with those you trust. For extra fun and an exercise in thinking outside the box, think about what other wacky reasons might be behind the objects our hero is required to bring.